In recognition of the rapidly growing influence of braided lines, tackle giant ABU-Garcia have now introduced a completely re-engineered version of what is arguably the best known fishing reel on the UK sea angling scene, the Ambassaduer 7000. In the same way that the trade name ‘Hoover’ has become a collective term for all vacuum cleaners, the Ambassaduer 7000 has become a yard stick for quality reels of a certain size. When I am looking for a medium boat reel, irrespective of whether its ABU, Shimano or whatever, I instinctively ask for something that is 'Ambassaduer 7000 sized' and people immediately know what I mean. The size and layout of the new Ambassaduer 7000 braid version will undoubtedly upset that particular apple cart.
To appreciate the thinking behind the Ambassaduers 7000's re-design you first need to understand a little about the properties of braid. Its smaller diameter and lack of stretch are the two big selling points that set it apart from nylon. The fact that it stacks and lays better on a narrow spooled reel, and is less prone to digging in when laid on neatly such as with a level wind and when loaded under pressure is possibly less well known. But it is a fact. So much so that ABU have brought out not one but two new 7000 models designed to take all of these issues on board, these being the gold up-market BG7000HSN, and the budget priced 7 Narrow.
Though the new Ambassaduer’s at first glance look a world away from the original wider spooled concept, actually it’s only the spool and cross bars that have undergone any real change. When I first lifted the BG7000 version from its box, I couldn’t help thinking how small and un-commanding it looked. So much so that I was actually worried about taking it into the particular braid fishing situation I had in mind for it. But, as that was what it was designed to do, I then thought what the hell as I loaded it to capacity with Berkley Fireline. So it got its do or die airing on the Firth of Lorne where average depths over much of the ground run between 400 and 500 feet, and packs of hungry spurdogs roam the place.
I have to say that I was very pleasantly surprised. I had used the reel previously for uptiding with braid where it performed expectedly well. But this was its first deep water outing. Unsure as to how much braid I had on the spool, I need not have worried as it touched bottom with plenty left in reserve. Even with a pound of lead plus a spurdog it handled the situation well. Its comfortable power wind handle really helped take control of the situation, particularly with what is quite a small diameter spool, making retrieving even a long length of line something of a doddle. Only time will tell if its construction withstands the corrosive effects of sea water. If it does, ABU are onto a winner here as braid marches ever forward to replace mono as the UK anglers line of choice.
SUVERAN PRO BOAT 50 POUNDS CLASS ROD
In a practical fishing context, braid makes certain demands on boat rods that mono lines do not. For starters, it is more abrasive and well able to grove eyes or guides that are not tough enough to withstand the punishment. The other big difference comes from the very reason why anglers buy it in the first place, its lack of stretch. Mono with its inherent stretch, has the ability to absorb punishment as a hooked fish fights back. Light hook holds, particularly when pirking, can result in fish coming adrift far more readily with braid than with mono. To compensate for this, rods need to have a softer more forgiving action. With both these factors in mind, ABU have produced the Suveran Pro Boat rod.
The Suveran Pro Boat has what is known as a parabolic action. I have used it for deep water fishing on a couple of occasions, and have to say that I was very impressed. But it was not until I gave it to my boat partner Dave Devine for a codding trip to Norway that its good and bad points were really brought to the for. The blank itself was everything the perfect braid blank should be. With its abrasion resistant Fuji Concept oval guides it took more big fish punishment in 5 days than most rods in the UK see in 5 years. Pirking is particularly prone to light hook holds as fish grab at the lure. You must expect losses. So anything that can be done to minimise these has to be good, and in that respect the Suveran Pro Boat is a more than capable piece of kit.
However, with hind sight, the Grip-Lok reel seat is not something I would recommend for any rod that is to be put into a big fish situation. On paper the concept is good. The hypalon butt covering and reel seat can be slid off the butt blank then reconfigured in whatever positions suits the person that is to use it. Then, as the threaded clamp is tightened onto the reel, the Grip-Lok fiting in turn clamps itself to the butt. When I first tried it for catching spurdogs up in the Firth of Lorne, it was fine. But put under real pressure by super jumbo cod in 600 feet of water up in the arctic, things did not go quite so well.
Initially it was fine allowing Dave to take quite a good number of cod to 47 pounds. The action of the blank as stated earlier was excellent. But then the reel fitting started to move. So Dave wound it up as tight as it would go. A little later whilst into yet another jumbo cod, the tension on the fitting was lost as the clamp jumped the threads causing the reel to drop through 180 degrees around the rod. Had the butt been of standard construction with everything pre-fixed into place this could not have happened, and the threads would not have come under so much additional pressure from Dave.
I would have no hesitation still in recommending braid users to buy this rod. In fact, despite its problems, it still had admirers on the boat who were not put off. All that needs to be done is to fix the hypalon and reel fitting in the position that suits you before you take it out and you will have arguably one of the best braid rods currently on the market. But you shouldn’t have to do that with a brand new rod, and ABU have been made aware of this short coming which they have promised to rectify, which would put it right up there with the best deep water braid rods on the market.
